Turn the job search competition into self-reflection
Q: I keep hearing about the competitive job market even though there are lots of employers hiring. I am not a competitive person and feel I do not have a chance of landing a good job. How does a noncompetitive person compete for a job?
A: Being competitive in the job market often indicates you have a strategy in mind rather than loosely applying for jobs that seem like they would be a good match. Consider studying the definition of competition and do some self-reflecting of what it means to you.
When job candidates often hear the term “competitive,” it can fill their minds with such descriptions as aggressiveness, out to win at any cost, and leaning toward being forceful. Being competitive in the marketplace is more likely related to how well you have prepared for your job search. Keeping an open mind in ways to improve your skill sets will take the focus off of comparing yourself to others and more toward improving yourself.
When you have a perception that you must act a certain way to land a job, it can intimidate even the most experienced job candidates. Trying to be something you are not can make a job search more challenging.
When non-competitive job candidates start down the road of comparing themselves to what they see as more assertive applicants, they tend to feel threatened by the whole search process. Instead of moving forward, non-competitive candidates get timid and refrain from going after jobs that interest them.
The idea of being competitive can lead to more anxiety than it deserves. You could be giving the concept of competition too much power.
Instead of dwelling on the “competitive job market,” consider focusing on your unique skill set in what you have to offer employers.
An excellent exercise to build your distinctive list of skills is to concentrate on your achievements. Begin by writing down your career accomplishments regardless of your work history to identify your skills.
Review your accomplishments and highlight the skills involved, namely, the skills used to produce results.
This exercise works for every occupation, even if you are not in a sales position. For instance, educators produce results by improving their student’s knowledge
The idea of being competitive can lead to more anxiety than it deserves. You could be giving the concept of competition too much power.
and how they impact learning.
Identifying your skill sets does a couple of things for you. It adds to your confidence level by concentrating on your abilities rather than comparing yourself to others. Try broadening your job search when you observe a competitive job market, where positions could be limited depending on your career field.
Never underestimate the power of transferrable skills. Review your skills that could be easily transferred to other career fields and think outside the box. It expands your search opportunities related to your interests.
Kimberly Thompson, M.Ed. is a national board-certified counselor and career coach. Send questions to kim@careerrescue.com or visit her blog at http:// blog.chron.com/careerrescue/